After the War
by Fangirl1017
Summary: This story is about Willow Mellark,daughter of Katniss and Peeta.
1. After the War

In this story you are going to learn what life after the war was my name is Willow.I am the daughter of two "Victors',Katniss and Peeta Mellark. They explain to me everyday,how life was before the war. They explain the pain and sadness. The many nights where many people would go to bed I am going to share with you, my story

My parents explain the games, How 24 'tributes',two from each so called districts, would fight to the death until only one remained. They explain how they had to fall in love to survive, that's the only way both of them could survive. Early in my childhood I never understood why Mom would wake up as they explain this new world, I know the fear personally. My father explains how he was taken hostage to a place called,'The Capitol.' How they injected a venom in his veins to alter his memories of mom and how he has nightmares of her killing him.

But my mothers pain is different. Her's is described by way her past changed her. She invisions a world where this old world comes back to destroy us, like it destroyed many. Many still grieve over this period called, 'The Dark Age'.' And as my parents open this world up to me, I fear it too. I wouldn't want to live in a world where you fight everyday for your survival. Someday's even going without food. This is what life after the War is, constant worry and fear from those who remember it. Happiness, has not spread yet.


	2. Rye and his News

This year we welcomed my baby brother, Rye. For the first time in a long time, My mom and dad are happy. He has my fathers blonde hair, and my moms olive eyes. Today we took him for his 2 month checkup at the Doctor. I expected my moms fear to become worse. But actually it became better. She hasn't had a nighmare since Rye was born. I couldn't believe it, my mother was actually overcoming her fear. But then came the doctors examination report. And at the sight of it all of our hearts shattered.

My brother had lung cancer in both lungs. My moms fear of losing her child(ren) had rekindled. He had three months to live. He wouldn't live to have his first love, or go to prom, or get a car. He would die a innocent child. My dad was determined to do everything he could not to lose Rye. My poor baby brother took treatment after treament. Then came the final one. After that they could not longer treat him. As the Doctor walked in, we prayed that his final news would be good.


	3. Glorious Future, Harsh Past

We all hoped he would be okay, but deep in our hearts we knew there was a low possibility. As the Doctor handed us the results, my mothers hands trembled. My father slowly opened the envelope he took a deep breath. As he read the expression on his face still lingers in my mind. As he chocked back a sob, he told us Rye's cancer was gone. He would live to experience all the things boys should. He would be able to live a half normal life. Poor Rye would have to take breathing treatments for the rest of his life. But it wasn't as bad as life before the War.

Today my parents took me to The Graveyard. They showed me the grave that belonged to a man named, Haymitch Abernathy. My parents describe hims as their mentor during,'The Games.' Then mom took me too her old house in,'The Victors Village. It lay in ruins from the war. She shows me a brown leather jacket, she said that it belonged to her father. He explains how he taught her to hunt, until he died in a mine explosion. Then she led me to the closed mines. She told me about Gale Hawthorne, her former hunting partner, and how he betrayed her. She explains how he was responsible for the bomb that killed her sister. Then she tells how he ran off to District 2. Next she led me to a battered fence, the former district boundary. These woods had belonged to the Capitol. This pas world slowly opens up to me as it betrays its former harsh self.


	4. New Beginnings

Now things are starting to get better. Mom has not yet got over almost losing Rye, but she has stopped worrying about the games. For now it had been 15 years since the war had ended. Also Rye turned one today, so he had survived his first year of childhood. Now both of us had survived at least one year.

Things are starting to get better. Dad has started taking more treatments for the venom. He has now stopped having major nightmares, but he still has minor ones. This place now called,"Tennessee," that's was the outskirts of, "District 12," is starting to come back to live. Most of the buildings have been rebuilt. Dad's new bakery is coming along, all they like are putting in the ovens.

My Mom's Hospital is coming along great also, they just have to put in the in a couple of months we'll have a new also rebuilding the Victors Village, as a memorial to those who lost their lives to poverty or the games.

My dad's minor nightmares have stopped, since he's fully focused on the bakery. Everything is healing fully, accept my mother. She still worries we will have our childhood taken from us. She's tells us of her sister, and how she couldn't save her. She told us how she thought she had lost everything, until she found Dad.

She tells me of that last kiss, before she didn't see him again for months. How she had knew there on that beach, that she whole-hearted loved my dad. She explains the hatred she had toward the Capitol, even in its remains, for almost taking my dad's life. How the Capitol took so many, Rue, Finnick, Beetee, Prim, and how she couldn't save them. Her plan had been to kill herself at the end of the games, that way dad could get out.

She explains how she has nightmares of her Dad being bombed, then shifting to watching her sister explode right in front of her. How all of the people she couldn't save flow through her mind like jabber jays. Then explains the horrific awaking, of knowing that she's the reason their dead.


	5. A New Way of Life

Father's Bakery, Mom's Hospital, and our new school is all complete. Now I stay with Rye while mom and dad are at work. Mom comes home during her lunch break. Then Dad comes home from his shift around 5. During the day we usually just watch TV, then i'll cook him lunch. Then when Mom comes at lunch we eat leftovers from supper the night before. Then when Dad comes home he always gives us a treat from the Bakery.

He cooks supper as soon as he cleans up,then we just talk about our day. We've developed a routine of doing this. Dad always talks about how busy the bakery was. Mom always has a gross story of what happened to one of her patients. You can tell their live is starting to become normal. Dad hasn't had a nightmare since they did the implant to remove the venom. Moms worrying has decreased, since she found she's pregnant though her fear of losing a child has flared back up.

She's due in a month, and dad couldn't be happier. She has her mood swings, but we deal with them. Life is healing, their minds are healing, our town is healing, everything is becoming better. This new way of life is all people needed, to forget what life was like. They seem to have forgotten the cruelty, expect in their dreams. It's getting harder to remember. This worl has become but a nightmare in children's dreams. Especially mine.


	6. New Arrivals, and a Close Stranger

**One month later**

My baby sister was born today. My parents decided to name her Rue Primrose Mellark. Mom says she did this to ensure the memories of her fallen loved ones are never forgotten. I can't imagine the pain she will go through each time she says her name. But what better way to honor two people who gave their lives for a greater cause.

While I was at the hospital I met a boy, who they found living in an underground village, formerly known as District 13. I know this because I recognize the symbol on his jacket, the same one on my mother's old war uniform tucked away in the attic. I walk into his room, the nurse brings me a chair, and I sit down beside him.

"My name is Willow, and who might you be?," I ask him. "Rye," he softly whispers. "How did you end up here?," I ask. "I used to live here, but I moved to District…. I mean Pittsburg when the war started. After it ended, my brother moved to Denver, and he left me behind." I process what he just said. I can't imagine having to go through war, then being abandoned. Wait, he said his brother moved to Denver, which used to be district 2.

Gale moved to district 2, and my mother had mentioned he had younger siblings, but she never mentioned if any of them survived. I look at his olive skin, and brown eyes, almost exactly like the picture of Gale my mother has in the locket my father gave her. "Who was your brother Rye?," I ask, knowing the answer that will follow. "His name was Gale Hawthorne,' He replies.

My body tenses up hearing his name. The man who had betrayed my mother, also betrayed his brother. "My mother knew your brother; her name is Katniss Everdeen. He betrayed her just like he betrayed you. I'm so sorry Rye." He stares at me with a solemn look on his face. "Your mom was my brothers first love. I remember him talking about her hunting with him. I was 5 at the time, but how well I remember the look on his face when he talked about her. I can't believe he hurt her too," he replies.

"We tend to hurt the ones we love the most," I say. He nods his head in agreement. I've never felt this way before, so close to someone, yet I only just met him. "Rye, do you have a place to stay. I would hate for you to be left here with nowhere to go." "No, I don't have any family left here. But don't worry about me, I'll be okay," he replies. "I'm going to see if my parents will let you stay with us for a few days. I'm sure they'll agree." "Thank you I would appreciate it very much," he replies. I walk to my parent's room a few hallways down, and see Primrose wrapped in my mother's arms.

"Mom, dad, I met someone today that has nowhere to stay. Would you consider letting him stay with us a few days?." I ask. "Who is this boy?," my father asks. "His name is Rye, his brother abandoned him in District 13, and now he's back here with no family" I see a shocked expression on my mother's face. "Willow is it Gale's brother Rye." I shake my head, and her face becomes more shocked than before. After a few minutes my parents agree, and I walk back to Ryes room. "They said you could come, but only if you promise to help my father at the bakery." "Anything to keep a roof over my head," he says.

He stands up and hugs me, as a thank you I assume, and then when he pulls away he looks into my eyes. "You're the best thing that's happened to me since the War Willow Mellark," he says before slowly leaning in and kissing me. Instead of fear I since a new emotion will overcome my life, love.

**Thanks for reading guys, please review to let me know if you're enjoying the story. If you do, please Follow/Favorite**


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